All speeds are measured by a hand held Stalker PRO radar gun and a hand help digital timer, so the human elements is a factor. Temperature, saltwater versus fresh, load, and water conditions are all a factor and the reason why test results may vary.

Acceleration Times & Test Conditions

Time To Plane

~

0 to 30

2.1 sec.

Ratio

1:1

Props

4-bld stainless steel

Load

Fuel: 1/2, Water: none, Person: 1, Gear: min gear on board

Climate

Temp: 72F, Humid: 65%, Wind: calm, Seas: flat

Seating for up to two passengers. The XP now provides clean, low emissions power to a sport that is having tough legislation issues throughout the country.

Motorcycle handling. It rides similar to a motorcycle, and therefore you can lean in and carve super tight turns around a buoy course or just have fun tooling around your imaginary track.

Better safety for everyone. Since the Rotax engine is now controlled with electronic fuel injection, Sea-Doo has incorporated their “Learning Key” technology, which allows riders with less experience to ‘learn’ on the craft with

Sporty seat design.

Captain's Report

Tested by Capt. Ron SvobodaAt the top of Sea-Doo’s performance food chain is the XP model. Targeted at riders that are seeking a more aggressive riding style than a typical two or three seat PWC can offer, the XP has few rivals. Although the seating capacity is large enough for two, this boat was really designed for one person to have a blast on the water.For 2003, Sea-Doo has made a great product better by adding Orbital direct fuel injection to their powerful 951 c.c. Rotax, two-cycle, twin cylinder engine. Thanks to engineers and the California Air Resource Board (CARB), the XP now provides clean, low emissions power to a sport that is having tough legislation issues throughout the country.The engine is not the only aspect that has evolved to almost an art form. The hull and control system have also come a long way in a short time. Starting with the running surface, the XP uses a semi-V bottom with a multi angle deadrise. What this means is that the portion of hull that contacts the water changes as the craft changes speed and attitude. This set up provides the best of both worlds; a sharp bottom angle for carving tight turns at slower speeds, and a ‘flatter’ bottom for high speeds that results in less drag and better control. This works in conjunction with the hyperbolic shape of the hull that ultimately provides more boat in the water at slower speeds and less at higher speed. HandlingHandling at all speeds throughout the power band is excellent. The XP is a true lean-in type of watercraft. It rides similar to a motorcycle, and therefore you can lean in and carve super tight turns around a buoy course or just have fun tooling around your imaginary track. The revolutionary Direct Action Suspension seat also contributes to the XP’s great handling. It not only soaks up the chop, but also compresses during turns to provide the rider with a lower center of gravity. Because of its inherent design, the XP is a very wet craft. At idle and slow speeds, the craft is bow heavy and plows a bit. This causes water to be splashed in the riders face continuously. Fortunately, this little annoyance can easily be dealt with by adding an aftermarket spray deflector to the bow of the boat. Acceleration is strong all the way to the top of the XP’s maximum-recorded speed of 61 miles per hour. The boat runs straight and true at wide-open throttle, without any squirllyness that is typical on so many other short watercraft. Variable TrimMy favorite gadget on the XP is the Variable Trim System or VTS. This electronically controlled trim adjustment allows you to adjust the running attitude of the boat with just a touch of your left thumb. A small, electronic bar graph situated in the Info Center, indicates the amount of trim selected. The great thing about this standard feature is the radical effect it has on how the boat rides in varying conditions. For speed runs, you trim the boat all the way up. If she starts to porpoise on you, you simply bump the switch down a bit until she rides flat. Like all the Sea-Doo watercraft for 2003, the XP comes with contemporary styling, lots of storage compartments and a digital information center. The info center provides all sorts of data and is complimented by an analog speedometer. Since the Rotax engine is now controlled with electronic fuel injection, Sea-Doo has incorporated their “Learning Key” technology, which allows riders with less experience to ‘learn’ on the craft with a limited top speed. This helps instill self-confidence with the craft and provides a greater margin of safety for everyone that’s on the water.

Test Result Highlights

Top speed for the Sea-Doo XP DI is 60.9 mph (98 kph), burning gallons per hour (gph) or N/A liters per hour (lph).